Marketing
Building a StoryBrand
Donald Miller
2017
Summary
Most companies waste money on marketing because their message is unclear. Donald Miller applies the structure of a story to brand messaging: the customer is the hero, the brand is the guide, and the product is the tool that helps the hero overcome a villain (their problem). The StoryBrand 7-part framework gives marketers a clear template for websites, emails, and campaigns that cut through noise and convert.
Key Takeaways
- 1Position your customer as the hero, and your brand as the wise guide — not the hero itself
- 2Customers don't buy the best products; they buy the ones they understand most clearly
- 3Identify the villain: the external problem, the internal frustration, and the philosophical stakes
- 4Call to action: every piece of marketing must have a clear, direct next step
- 5The StoryBrand 7 parts: character, problem, guide, plan, call to action, success, failure
- 6Clarify your message so a 6-year-old could explain what you do and why it matters